Just Say No to Fly Fishing InstaSpam

I use Instagram for Casting Across. It is a great way to promote the website, share the work of those I collaborate with, and see some amazing fly fishing pictures. I am not a professional photographer, and I am far, far from a professional marketer. There are strategies and techniques  out there for gaining an audience – gaining followers on Instagram. Some are clever and some have the subtlety of an AOL compact disc mailing campaign.

My favorite (insert sarcasm emoji here) is the faceless, generically named “SuperFlyFishing#1” page.

You’ve seen him… her… it. They like your photos. They follow you. They comment something to the effect of “great pic! come check out our page.” Then, like a stray piece of tippet in the wind, they’re gone.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not personally offended. This isn’t about getting or retaining some quasi-robotic Instagram hearts. I don’t even feel particularly compelled to police this little postage-stamp-sized corner of the internet.

I just find it obnoxious.

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Fall Function for Fly Fishing

One of Autumn’s more endearing qualities is the shifting temperature. Crisp, cool mornings transition to warm, sunny afternoons. T-shirts and flip flops are still in the rotation, but sweatshirts and wool caps also reappear. However, if you’re on the water all day you don’t exactly have the luxury of an entire wardrobe at your disposal. You have to carry an obscene amount of clothing, stay close to your car, or – the most reasonable option – pick and choose.

It isn’t about obsessing, being fussy, or demanding the best/newest/priciest gear. It is about comfort while fly fishing in the fall. You don’t even need to only shop in the fly fishing or outdoor departments. Some of the best cold weather fishing clothing is simply well made cold-weather clothing.

Here are four quick reminders… or maybe new insights on what to wear and carry as you head out for fall fly fishing.

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Last Cast of the Week, 9/21/2018

Every now and then, Fridays on Casting Across are  devoted to other people’s contributions in the fly fishing community. Articles, pictures, social media accounts, videos, podcasts, products, and more are featured on The Last Cast of the Week.

Today, I’m sharing items from:

  • Orvis –  Photo Essay: The Brown Trout of the Spanish Pyrenees
  • Trident Fly Fishing – Lamson Center Axis Fly Rod Review
  • Hatch Magazine  – The original endangered species—where are they now?

If you’d like to be featured in the Last Cast of the Week, or have seen something that others might be interested in, use my  contact form  or shoot me an email (matthew[at]castingacross[dot]com). Also, be sure to  subscribe to Casting Across to never miss a post.

Check out the links, along with my thoughts, below: read more

Pictures Aren’t Worth 1,000 Words

Have you ever tried to take a picture of the night sky? A sunrise, with beams streaking through the trees? The moon reflecting on the ocean?  Unless you use a high-end camera and posses a level of mastery, the results usually come out lacking. Blurry, dark, completely obscured.

Far from capturing the moment, you’ve saved a digitally underwhelming facsimile. You can’t share it with anyone. It doesn’t really help you remember what you experienced. In a day and age when we keep millions of images, you might even delete it.

Fly fishers take pictures of rivers. We take pictures of pools, rushing water, bends, small falls, and contrasts on the streamside. We need a few of these pictures in case we catch a fish in that particular river. We need a few of these pictures in case we don’t catch any fish. Always, we take these pictures because we want to apprehend the moment for posterity.

Why? Because we feel like we have to.

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100 Fishing Questions

“Can we go fishing?”

Sure.

“Where are we going?

“What are we going to catch?

“Why do I need sunscreen?

“Why do I need shoes?

“Can we get donuts?

“Did you remember my rod?

“Can I use your rod?

“Can we go to the bathroom?

“Are we allowed to park here?

“Are they fishing?

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Make Plans to Show Up to The Show

I know what you’re thinking.

“The weather is just getting nice again – I’m going to be able to fish so much this fall!”

True. But if you live in most of the country, the harsh reality that winter weather is only a half dozen weeks away can’t be ignored. It’s okay. Don’t run from it. Embrace it.

Think about what you will be able to get done. Fly tying, cleaning your gear, and, of course, The Fly Fishing Show.

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The Scourge of Subconscious Trout-Setting

I couldn’t help myself.

It was a fish. It swam up from the clear depths to chase my fly. I saw the whole thing unfold before my eyes. I trout set the snot out of that striper.

And, of course, that means that the striped bass pictured above is not the fish that I just described. Because I missed that fish in an epic fashion.

I am not sure what you call the psychological/biological phenomenon of being able to recall physical sensations. But I can still feel myself tensing up as the fish charged my baitfish imitation. I can feel my hand tightening on the cork of the 9-weight. I can feel myself lowering the rod so that I can have the optimum thrust as I jerk the line taught with hurricane force.

I can feel the complete lack of resistance as I trout set the line, leader, and fly into oblivion.

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3 Ways to Keep Your Fly Up

Want to know a good problem to have?

Catching so many fish that you’re struggling to keep your fly afloat.

While that might sound a little bit like humble bragging, it is something that happens to all anglers from time to time. The reality is that it can be problematic. If you’re catching a lot of fish, but you’re spending an inordinate amount of time messing with a sinking fly, you’re missing out on even more fish.

Whether you are hitting an amazing hatch on a spring creek or running up a mountain blue line, you want your fly to be the best tool for all the trout feeding with reckless abandon. I’ve put together a list of three concepts, with seven “tips” total, to think about to keep your fly high, dry, and appetizing for the fish.

It starts with the right fly, prepared the best way, fished with a little forethought:

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Rusty Flybox: Brookies

Brook Trout…

And people think that the leaves are pretty in autumn!

Maybe it is good that the fall colors of brookies are our little secret, otherwise every blue line and back trail would be littered with trout peepers. As it is, the deeper you get into the woods the more brilliant your surroundings and your fish become.

There are so many things to say about my favorite fish. But since it is Friday, and since I’ve said so much already, I figured I’d share a few brook trout focused pieces from the Casting Across archives. Click on the picture or the title to read something about these amazing little char.

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Run to the Fish

Left: trail mode, Right: fishing ready

I like trail running. I like fly fishing.

I have a limited amount of time to do anything like either of those things.

Not all pursuits are flexible enough to combine, but trail running and fly fishing can be seamlessly combined in such a way that you’re not really compromising on either.

Most recently I ran four miles into the New Hampshire woods. Not only did I get a great workout, but a few other interesting things happened. As I went further up the mountains the water temperatures dropped significantly. With each mile, I saw less and less people. At the end of the day I had been able to fly fish, see so much wilderness, and put in some serious trail miles. And I caught a lot of trout.

Check out three reasons why you should give running to the fish a shot, and some tips on preparing for such an outing, below:

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